MIAMI – The expansion of the Italian language in American schools achieves a historic milestone. Thanks to the outstanding and ongoing collaboration with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS), led by Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres, the footprint of Italian education in South Florida is officially growing.
The Director of the Education Office at the Consulate, Gabriella Tufarelli, accompanied by the President of the ODLI managing entity, Luigi Bava, met with key representatives of the County’s Board of Education, Dr Yesenia Aponte and Mrs. Melba Brito.
The purpose of the meeting was to finalize the launch of a highly anticipated Italian language and culture program in Miami Beach, to be hosted at South Pointe Elementary School and Nautilus Middle School. The activation of these classes fulfills a long-standing demand from local families, who have been actively requesting these programs for over a decade.
The Creation of a Continuous “K-12” Pathway
Funded by the MAECI (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation) and managed by ODLI, these new courses will perfectly align with the highly successful, well-established Italian program already running at Miami Beach Senior High School.
This addition officially creates a complete K-12 educational pipeline (from Kindergarten through 12th Grade), ensuring 12 consecutive years of Italian language instruction for students in the area.
The Consul General of Italy in Miami, Michele Mistò, expressed his great joy and deep satisfaction for this landmark achievement. He highlighted how this outcome rewards the decade-long dedication of local families and beautifully crowns the strategic synergy between the Consulate, ODLI, and the vital support and vision of the Miami-Dade Educational Board.
